ALERT: Necessary Review... Subjects and Predicates

After revisiting Writing Tools it was revealed we are in need of some review of basic grammar. Please review the following information.

If you have any questions or require clarification about this, communicate with me in class ASAP.

SIMPLE SUBJECTS AND VERBS

The sentence can be broken down into two parts: the subject part and the verb part sometimes called the predicate. You can visualize this using a technique called

diagramming. Diagramming provides a visual illustration of the different parts of the sentence. Once you’ve figured out the parts that make up the sentence, you place each part on a diagram frame. You can see an example of a diagram frame below. Notice that a vertical line is drawn through the horizontal one to separate the subject part of the sentence from the verb part of the sentence.

Subject Verb

Example:

Many sharks migrate up the Florida coast each

year.

Sharks migrate

Remember that the subject tells the topic of the sentence. To locate the simple subject (the noun only, without modifiers), you first find the verb (which is sometimes an action word or sometimes a form of to be, such as is, are, was, were, have been, etc.). Then you ask Who? or What? before the verb. The answer is the subject. Sometimes, the verb may be more than one

word. For example, in the first sentence in Exercise 1, you find the verb is named, and you ask the question What is named? The answer is butterfly, the subject of the sentence.

Exercise 1: Diagramming Simple Subjects and Verbs

The Florida State Butterfly

Directions:

Print the following exercise. To practice identifying just the simple subject and the simple verb (without any modifiers), underline each subject and verb in the following sentences. Place the subject and the verb on the diagram frame provided. The first sentence has been done for you.

1. The Florida state butterfly is named the zebra long wing.

butterfly is named

2. This butterfly lives in southern Florida.

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3. The butterfly is usually found in the hammocks and thickets of Everglades National Park.

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4. The long wing is rarely seen in the northern part of the state.

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5. The zebra long wing usually roosts in a flock with its kin.

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6. The long wing faithfully returns to the same perch every night.

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7. The black-and-yellow butterfly is a beloved native of Florida.

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8. The butterfly dines on the sweet nectar of passion flowers.

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9. This beautiful butterfly was designated as the state butterfly in 1996.

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10. The praying mantis lost the bid for state insect in 1972.

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